Does anyone else get anxiety before they exercise? I freeze before I start and sometimes have panic attacks. This is almost always the case even though I exercise three times a week. My boyfriend always has to force me to, and afterwords I am always glad he did because I'm glad that I didn't let my fear get the better of me, but I often end up crying during.

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I have a question for you: Do you actually enjoy the exercises or do you feel that you are 'forcing' yourself to do it? A reason why you might feel self-forced is that you want to remain healthy/aerobically-fit, and that you see the gym as the best means to remain as such.

If you don't enjoy the exercises - but feel that they must be done - then I can easily understand how anxiety can exist beforehand. Equally, I can easily understand why the anxiety vanishes immediately afterwards when it is the longest time until you next have to go to the gym.

I can totally understand your anxiety for going to the gym. It is good you support to keep going!

For me I always feel intense anxiety before I go to the gym. There are a number of reasons I attribute for this but my anxiety spikes for a number of reasons.

1) The first reason is because I am angry/anxious that it is the highlight of my day. It is the only reason I ever leave my house. I am excited to go but at the same time sad because working out gives me joy and I am around attractive woman (granted I don't talk to them but it's nice to have scenery every once in a while!) but after I am done I will have nothing else to do but go back into my depressed anxious state and my small blackhole (my apartment).

2) Douchebags at the gym. Rather my perception that the guys at my gym are douchebags. I have social anxiety and it contributes and makes it even worse. The staff at my gym are very rude to me as well because I refuse to take their personal training sessions. I also had a verbal argument with one of the staff members that almost got physical so they are often giving me hostile stares. I feel like a lot of guys are looking at me and judging me because I am pretty ripped and I feel like people are thinking I am only big because of steroids which is a common question I hear.

3) Testosterone. Before I go to the gym I think my body is starting to produce more of it in anticipation for the workout. Testosterone can make anxiety and anger worse.

4) Caffeine drinks. Even though I feel it doesn't affect me I take a pre-workout drink that is loaded with caffeine. If I don't take it I feel my workouts won't be as good.

These are pretty much my main triggers! Hope this helps. Keep going though!